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Regulated Organism and Soil Permits

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APHIS Revises the Regulations for the Movement

of Plant Pests and Biocontrol Agents

The U.S. Department of Agriculture published a final rule to revise the regulations in

Title 7 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 330 that govern the

movement of plant pests. The final rule aligns plant pest regulations with current

APHIS policies, removes obsolete requirements, streamlines the permit process for

low risk organisms, and updates requirements for the import of foreign soil. 

Learn More

Under the authority of the Plant Protection and Honeybee Acts, a Plant Protection

and Quarantine (PPQ) 526 permit is required for the importation, interstate

movement and environmental release of plant pests (plant feeding insects, mites,

snails, slugs, and plant pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.), biological control

organisms of plant pests and weeds, bees, parasitic plants, and Federally listed

noxious weeds.

APHIS also requires a 526 permit for the importation and interstate movement of soil

or other potentially infected host material for the purpose of isolating or culturing
microorganisms from those materials. Those materials may include but are not

necessarily restricted to; plant material, insects/arthropods, environmental samples

such as water, dust, sediments, etc. If the organism is imported on/in host material,

no separate permit is required for the host material if the host material is not

intended for propagation.

APHIS is authorized to inspect shipments and/or facilities at any time to verify

compliance with permit conditions. Receipt of a PPQ permit does not relieve the

applicant from the obligation to comply with the regulations of other Federal, State,

and local agencies (e.g., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the Environmental

Protection Agency).

PPQ 526 Permit

The PPQ 526 permit is required for the importation, interstate movement,

possession, and/or environmental release of the following:

Insects and Mites

Bees

Butterfiles and Moths

Biocontrol Organisms

Pet Food, Fish Bait, and Animal Feed

Invertebrate Pets

Plant Pathogenic Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, Mycoplasms, and Nematodes

Snails and Slugs

Federal Noxious Weeds and Parasitic Plants

Earthworms

Soil

Western Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera

Plant Growth Enhancers

Frequently Asked Questions

View a list of the commonly asked questions and concerns associated with the

application process for a permit to move live plant pests or noxious weeds.
How To Apply for a PPQ 526 Permit

APHIS offers both the online APHIS eFile system and a manual process for

application submission. PPQ strongly recommends applicants submit permit

applications online, via the APHIS eFile system because the online system efficiently

provides applicants electronic access to their applications and permits. Select the

following link to start the application process.

Apply for a Permit

Permit Processing Steps and Timelines

Applications for 526 permits are processed in the order received. PPQ receives over

six thousand (6,000) 526 permit applications per year. The average application

processing time is eighty (80) days. The processing time depends on the complexity

of the request. On-line application submission using eFile can save up to thirty (30)

days.

The PPQ 526 permit review process includes the following steps:*

Step

Time

Range

Review application for completeness of required information, such as:

applicant contact information, genus and species of regulated material,

destination state, origin, and shipment information. Add one month for

processing paper applications that are not submitted on-line.

1 week

Evaluate pest risk. 1-4 weeks

Prepare environmental assessment and publish in the Federal Register,

if necessary. Environmental assessments are typically required for first

time releases of biological control agents.

6 months -

1 year

Inspect containment facility, if necessary. 1-4

months

Determine conditions necessary to mitigate risk. 1-4 weeks

Consult with the State department of agriculture. 1-4 weeks

Evaluate State response. 1-2 weeks

Send draft permit to the applicant for agreement to permit conditions. 1-4 weeks
Step

Time

Range

Issue final permit. For importation only, issue Red and White Labels. 1 week

Total

8 weeks

to 18

months

*These steps and timelines are not all-encompassing; if necessary, additional steps

or time may be required.

See More See Less

Shipping Labels

Shipping Requirements for Importing Regulated Organisms Requiring Red and

White Labels

Shipping Requirements for Importing Regulated Soil Requiring Black, White,

Green, Yellow Labels

Containment Facility Inspections

A facility inspection may be required before a PPQ 526 Permit is issued. A PPQ

inspector will document aspects of the facility to determine if the facility and

equipment are adequate for containment of the organism(s). A PPQ containment

specialist will evaluate the documentation and determine if the facility is adequate.

In most cases, if the application is for the receipt of foreign organisms (i.e., foreign

strain, biotype, race, isolate) or a Program Pest (i.e., currently under federal

quarantine) the facility must be inspected. Diagnostic facilities are also inspected.

The applicant will be informed if their facility must be inspected after review of the

permit application. Guidelines are available.

Containment Facility Inspections

Contact Us

For questions about permits for regulated organisms and soil:
Pest Permits Team

Email: pest.permits@usda.gov

Phone: 301-851-2285

Alt-Phone: 866-524-5421

Stakeholder/Customer Satisfaction Survey

One of the goals and objectives of the APHIS-PPQ- Permit Unit's Quality Management

System is to increase our customer service awareness. To address this, we are

initiating our Stakeholder/Customer Satisfaction Survey to hear from you. We need

your valuable feedback to help us evaluate and improve our customer service. We

would like to thank you in advance for completing the survey.

Take the Survey